I have a reason
by Atramea
Summary: Haleb one-shot. Post 6x06 scene.


**A/N: So, I took a little break from my multichaps to write this —don't worry though, I'll update them so** **on too—. I don't know how it came out, but I did have to write something after that scene. It took years, but they finally gave Haleb a scene like that :) I re-watched it too many times that it's ridicolous :D So, nothing, enjoy it and leave a comment if you want to, they're always appreciated ;) xx**

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She finally relaxes her muscles and looks up at him, breathless. He's still recovering from his moment, though. His eyes are closed, the little vein on his temple is still pulsing and his eyebrows are curved in that familiar way that Hanna can recognize by now. She can also feel his body still a little tense.

Their foreheads are pressed against each other. Caleb managed not to press his whole weight on her body for all the way through, but right now he's starting to have some problems to sustain himself. But Hanna doesn't care. She missed Caleb. The Caleb less parent and more boyfriend, _lover_. The Caleb less smothering and more passionate. The Caleb who kissed her without leaving her time to protest and who ripped her clothes off in a minute time before having her on her bed. And she doesn't mind at all having him all over her body.

His breath blows on her lips as he finally opens his eyes. She meets his gaze and a shiver runs down her spine. There's always _that_ sparkle into his eyes. She just loves the way he looks at her. He gently kisses her again before rolling over to lie by her side, between the messy sheets. Then he lets out a sigh and looks over at her.

"I thought I had lost you." he whispers softly.

She rolls on her side and reaches out, joining their hands and lacing their fingers together. She knew he didn't want sex to be their way to make up. She knew he would want to talk about their issues, to come clear, to understand. And he was right, they needed to. He moves his free arm behind his head, making himself comfortable on her pillow.

"I'm sorry if I've been a little too oppressive lately. It's just that... I don't want anything bad to happen to you...a _gain_. I... I just want to know that you're safe, every moment. Because... I can't handle all of _that_ again. I just can't." he continues, still speaking softly, still looking at her like she's the most precious thing he has.

His jaw is trembling, and she can see it. But she keeps staying quiet, because she knows him, and she knows he has other things to tell her, she knows that he probably prepared the whole speech before coming over. She just plays with his fingers, without breaking their eye-contact. He lightly shakes his head before continuing.

"I... I came here because I needed to understand. I needed to know if you were still mine, and I wanted to feel that you were still mine, but... I wasn't sure about what you were going to do. I was ready to get a slap or something. I... I was honestly afraid you were going to reject me. I was afraid you hated me. I was afraid you wanted to break things off."

She smiles at that, spontaneously. And she does because herself knows that despite how much he may be protective or smothering or whatever, she could never push him away from her life again. She had probably asked him for space just because she knew that he wasn't going to give up like that. A little pretentious, yeah, maybe a little too much, but she was still Hanna Marin.

"I love you, Caleb. And I never thought about any of those things. Not even the slap. I mean, if my boyfriend kisses me like that, I just... _appreciate_ that." she finally replies, still smiling.

He mirrors her smile.

"Yeah, but... Not if you don't want him to be your boyfriend anymore." he adds then, shrugging.

"Not my case. Seriously, Caleb... We both made our mistakes here. You've been a little too protective and I've been a little too harsh. But that's our nature. I guess we're both willing to bear each other's little shortcomings, right?" she replies, now becoming serious.

He nods, still focused on her eyes, despite she's still naked and he could look _wherever_ he wants to.

"I'm sorry too, by the way. I didn't mean to push you away... Even if I did." she adds, and she's being honest.

He lifts their joined hands and kisses her knuckles softly.

"It's okay." he whispers.

"I really don't know how you manage to be with me." she mutters then, because she feels lucky to have him.

He grins and squeezes her hand.

"You're the best thing I've ever had." he says then, simply.

She smiles again at him before coming closer to him and hugging him. He lets her adjust against his chest, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She swings a leg between his ones and starts tracing random patterns on his abdomen with her fingers. He just places his hand on the back of her neck, playing with the tips of her hair between his fingers.

"You remember what you told me right after you got out of that bunker?" he asks then.

She sighed softly. Of course she remembers that.

" _Don't ever let me go_." she repeats in a whisper.

"Do you remember also what I told you then?" he asks again.

" _Never_." she replies.

He kisses the top of her head and nods.

"Well, I meant it. We lost each other too many times, I don't want that to happen ever again. I won't walk away and I won't let you do that before trying with all that I have to stop you. I... I really don't know where I would go without you, Hanna. And I don't even want to know that, to be honest." he replies sincerely.

She smiles. She doesn't know where she would go without him either, she told him those words weeks ago because she meant them too.

"I won't walk away either, I promise." she whispers then, kissing his shoulder.

He sighs deeply and holds her tighter. He's willing to do anything to keep the girl between his arms with him forever, and he knows that. He swore to himself.

"Did you feel me yours, then?" she asked after a minute of silence, referring to what he told her earlier.

"Yeah." he whispers in reply.

She smiles up at him.

"You know what, by the way? You should surprise me like this more often. It was... _really good_." she can't help but tease.

He bites his own lip looking down at her.

"I think you're right." he smirks.

She gives him another deep kiss.

"Remind me to thank my mom for making you a key. Best idea _ever_." she laughs then.

He laughs along with her before kissing her again. Her hands come to touch his face, then his ears, and he _loves_ when she touches his ears. One of her feets brushes down his bare calf and he knows that he's about to lost it again. Unfortunately he can't, though, so he pulls away and smirks.

"I should go. If your mom comes back and finds us like this, I don't think she'll let me keep the key. Actually, she'll probably change the locks." he whispers, running his hands down her smooth back.

She smiles at him and nods.

"I'll give you a ride, okay?" he adds then.

She furrows an eyebrow.

"Where to?" she asks.

He sighs and makes a face.

"You were about to leave when I got here. You were obviously going somewhere. So... Since we agreed that we need to be a little more comprehensive with each other, you just tell me where are you going and promise me you'll be careful, and I'll drive you there but then I'll leave without freaking out. Deal?" he says.

She smiles again. He has a point. But honestly, she had actually forgotten she was going to go out before he came. His kisses —and _everything else_ — must have done quite a number on her.

"Deal." she replies.

"Good."

She sits up in bed, reaching out to pick her underwear from the floor as he does the same. She shakes the thought of telling him how awful she finds his shirt as soon as she sees him picking it up, then she realizes she has to tell him something definitely more serious.

"The girls and I are going to Lesli's college science lab. We need to find out more about her." she explains.

The look he gives her isn't the most excited one.

"Do you guys think she's dangerous?" he can't help but ask.

She sighs.

"Caleb, we still don't know." she replies then.

He stays silent. He's clearly not thrilled about the idea, but he's trying hard not to make the same mistake again. He wants to protect her, but he knows she needs her freedom. She's telling him the truth, so he has to respect their 'pact' as well.

"Okay. But be careful." he sighs.

She smiles.

"I will. But I want to find you here when I get home. We'll share a whole bowl of chocolate ice-cream and then we'll get some sleep. I'm sure my mom won't be against you spending the night." she adds.

She needs to sleep between his arms tonight and wake up between those same arms tomorrow morning. She needs him, and after the time they just spent together she's more than sure about that. And he smiles back at her words, finally. He wants that to, obviously.

"I'll be here." he replies then.


End file.
